This is sounding more positive.  30 feet high should be no problem at all.
However, I am confused about the 7 feet off of the ground and the aluminum
radials.  How long are they?  7 feet is perfect because that meets the
building code regulations in all of the areas where I have lived.  Signs,
tree branches etc must be 7 feet from the ground over any area where there
is foot traffic.  If the radials aren't too long that sounds like what I
need.

As for securing it to the ground;  There is a device that looks a lot like
and old brace and bit wood egger only it is much wider.  You can easily
attach as long of a piece of pipe as you can find at right angles to it and
easily screw it into the ground as far as you have extensions.  Maybe I'm
missing something but a "dirt screw about 5 or 6 feet into the earth should
be more secure than concrete.  So, if the radials aren't too long for my
side yard I should be able to install a "wall feeder 7 feet off of the floor
behind a drapery and go straight to the base of the antenna.  That would
also eliminate the need for a drip loop.  The copper pipe leading from the
water softener is also right next to that window.  Perhaps I'll want to put
the wall feeder closer to the floor in order to run the ground wire to the
copper pipe.  Unfortunately, there is a piece of plastic between the copper
pipe that comes from the water meter and the pipe under the street our that
would be the ultimate ground.  Now that I am thinking, I might also run a
wire from the copper pipe to the base of that pipe that I screw into the
ground just to be sure that I get a really good deep ground.

Well, as I said, pleasure, according to Aristotle is 90% anticipation and
reflection.  I'll probably rebuild this thing a hundred times before I
actually do it and stop all of the fun.  Thanks to all of you who have given
me such good advice.  Ed, I hope you don't mind me attaching this message to
yours instead of making a new message to everyone who helped me.  It's just
easier to reply than it is to start a new message to all who have commented.
----- Original Message -

----
From: "Ed Malmgren" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, August 07, 2005 9:43 AM
Subject: Re: Portable Antenna Needed for HF Rig


> Hello Louis.  The Hygain D X 77 as I remember is about 30 feet long,tall.
> They say the performance goes down if you use radials.  It has four
> aluminum
> ground planes going out horizontally from the base.  They recommend
> putting
> the base of the antenna up around 7 feet above ground.  It covers 40
> through
> 10 meters including the WARC bands and is very easy to assemble.  The
> traps
> are all assembled so it only took a short time for my XYL and me to put it
> together.  We did it in the house laying on 4 or 5 chairs.  I bought mine
> when buying a new house before putting a tower up.  I  had very good luck
> with the one I had but sold it when the tower went up but it was better
> for
> D X than my 40 meter rotery dipole up 55 feet.  I don't know if they still
> make them but you could look on Hygain's site.  K0 MLF still has his and
> he
> has good luck with his.  Ed K7UCI